


An Immortal Twilight

by Bigredtbc



Series: An Immortal Twilight [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: AU, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-05 10:20:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6700999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bigredtbc/pseuds/Bigredtbc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Xander is hurt, he finds himself going down a path he never could have anticipated, finding himself out of the dark and into the twilight.<br/>...But the Hellmouth wants him back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

_Bleak, harsh white burned his corneas as he slowly woke, increasing the heavy squeezing throb in his head. Fire in his chest made it hard to breath, and every time he inhaled, his chest felt like it was being skewered with something large and ragged. Everything felt heavy and fuzzy, making him unsure if he could actually feel his limbs. Where was he? Why was he here?_

Dr Carlisle Cullen moved quickly towards the private room his priority patient was located in, checking his pager as he jogged quickly, trying to appear normal even as he heard the racing heartbeat and scented the heavy tang of fear. He veered, slipping into the room, almost freezing at the sight of the wild eyed youth holding a scalpel to the nurses neck, which in itself was impossible. The teen had a severely broken left leg, his ribs had had to be held together so they would heal, and at last check, he’d been in a coma with a severely cracked skull, not to mention all the minor cuts and contusions.

“Who are you? Where the hell am I?” The boy demanded, keeping his back to the wall and his slightly y glassy, panicking brown eyes on Carlisle.

“My name is Carlisle Cullen, I’m your doctor.” Carlisle answered quietly, hands held up in plain view. 

Charlie hadn’t mentioned anything about a possible violent reaction, but then again, with how the teen had come to be injured, it shouldn’t be such a surprise. While they didn't know much about the boy yet, the they did know that he had been through a significant trauma and prolonged abuse. 

“You're in the hospital, that is, Forks memorial in Washington.” He took a tentative step forward, trying to calm the teen and reassure Jane, the shock on the teens face was easy to see as it replaced the frantic panic. “What’s the last thing you remember?” He asked keeping his tone low and soothing, as if trying to calm a spooked animal. 

“Going home.” The patient answered quietly. 

The fight went out of him in a second, the scalpel clattering to the floor as he released the nurse. Without the frantic panic, the boy tilted precariously wobbling on his one good leg. Jane only hesitated a moment, instead of running away hysterically like most would in the situation, she turned and immediately caught the young man as he sagged. Carlisle was already moving over as quickly as he dared, taking most of the teens weight as they eased him back onto the bed. Brown eyes blinked dazed, not quite comprehending how he was there perhaps, before he dredged some energy from somewhere. 

“Why am I here?”” The boy asked, tone heavy with pain and confusion.

“Your uncle had you transferred.” Carlisle eyed the mortal as they settled him, trying to remain soothing so as not to spook him, re-hooking him to the monitors and I.V lines “Jane can you call the chief?” He looked at the nurse as she began to shake gently, she nodded almost slowly, relieved.

“Um, sorry. About the whole…” The teen reached out, stopping Jane gently, then motioned with his lightly bandaged hand to his neck sheepishly, but honestly. Jane gave him a shaky smile before she left.

 

Xander swallowed as he looked up at the amber eyed pale doctor, wordlessly letting him complete his tests. He felt like a complete idiot for reacting the way he had, but what was he doing in Forks, and why would Rory transfer him here? It did however explain why he didn’t recognise the nurse; in Sunnydale Jessie’s older sister Val always tended to him, anyone else got the same scared, panicked knee-jerk reaction. He froze as cold fingers felt for the pulse in his wrist, his earlier fear returning to make his still racing heart beat quicker; looking at the window in the room the relief blew his fear of a possible vampire attack out of the water as he saw sunlight. Weak from what he could only guess was an over cast sky but more than enough to toast any vampire not totally covered. He looked back at the Doctor, trying not to let the pain and confusion show.

“When can I leave?” He asked quietly, hoping he could leave quickly, his dislike and fear of hospitals leaving him on edge around the seemingly nice doctor.

“Leave?” Dr Cullen frowned at him. “You’ve just woken from an eight day coma, and have just had a total of five surgeries, three on your chest, one on your head and another on your leg, you can’t leave.” Dr. Cullen shook his head.

Xander winced, that was going to be very expensive. He swallowed as the extent of his injuries sank in, eyes drifting to the cast that covered his whole left leg. Not for the first time he wondered what the hell had happened to him. His last memories were beyond hazy, the last thing he could clearly remember was being in the library with the girls and Giles, researching for something, but he wasn't sure what. Had he got tangled up with a demon? Had he been hit by a car walking home? Had he miscalculated his dad's state? He just honestly had no clue as to how he'd ended up this bad, and being so far from anything familiar was making him more than a little uneasy. Hell for all he knew, this could be the result of one of Spike’s plans to take Buffy down. That left a knot in his gut that didn't sit easy at all, in fact it made him down right edgy. 

“I’m O.K Really, I should get home, Sunnydale’s along way away.” Xander peered at the doctor, he was getting out of here as soon as possible, he had too. 

Dr Cullen shook his head. “Even if you could be discharged, you need to wait for your uncle to arrive.” The blond Dr ordered, picking up his chart and making notes. 

“I’ll wait for him.” Xander nodded reluctantly, Dr Cullen frowned at him a moment before nodding.

“It looks like your ready for your next dose of antibiotics, I’ll be back with them.” Dr Cullen put his chart in the end of the slot and left. 

Xander waited a few minutes before carefully switching off the machines, plucking the sticky pads from his arms and chest, unhooking the IV. Gingerly he shifted, having to pull his cast covered leg off the bed, biting his lip he got onto his good leg. Now the adrenalin had left he was in pure agony, he locked his jaw as he forced himself to move, his bandaged arm held gently against his bandaged torso. He made it around the bed having to drag his useless leg with him and had to pause at the end of his bed to rest, picking up his chart as he caught his breath. He frowned at the chart, having to force himself to focus on the words, anything to take his mind off the pain. His eyes widened at the long list of injuries, beginning to feel slightly sick. How the hell was he alive? He dropped the chart to the foot of his bed, looking around the room he noticed a blue robe hung on the door and trying to prepare himself, he forced himself to move, shuffling towards it at a slow agonising pace. Every step made him want to scream, every breath made his vision dim, but he had to get out of the hospital.  
Moving like a man eighty years his senior he pulled the robe on. He didn’t have a clue what to do, or a plan to get back to the hellmouth, all he knew was the burning need to leave the hospital. Being here wasn't right, it could be a trap for the gang, a rouse, not to mention there was no way on this Earth that Uncle Rory would spend money on him to have him moved across state lines. Something wasn't right here and Xander wasn't going to sit around and wait for someone to come finish him off. 

Xander shuffled down the corridor, ducking into an open door as he saw two men in scrubs move towards the double doors down the hall. Looking around he eyed the locker room nervously, moving deeper into it as he heard the two men near the room. He hobbled around a row of cold steel lockers opening the nearest one, momentarily marvelling at the lack of locks. He grabbed the scrubs he saw, checking their size, scrubs where better than a hospital gown any day. Carefully he sat on the bench, jaw clamped as he tried to get the scrubs on over his cast. His ribs and chest made the task near impossible, the pain growing so bad he very nearly found himself passed out several times, forcing him to pause while he tried to catch his breath. Realistically he knew he shouldn't have even made it this far, he knew he was stubborn but this was something else, this wasn't quite normal but the need to get out of this damned hospital was paramount. If whatever was keeping him going got him out of the hospital, he'd let it get him out.  
Eventually he got the pants on after half a dozen attempts, able to stomp his bare foot into a sneaker about two sizes too big. The plain dark blue top proved easier to get on and the stolen hoodie he found three lockers down. Quietly he made his way back to the hallway, almost two decades of sneaking came in handy as he made his way out of the hospital without being spotted, ducking out into the freezing wet afternoon. 

He walked slowly, arms around his ribs as he forced himself to hobble down the road, shivering hard as he tried to remember how he’d gotten hurt. Deciding he wasn’t moving fast enough to dodge anyone who might be looking for him, he headed off the road and into the thick wooded area the road cut through, moving far enough in to avoid being seen by passing cars, but not too far that he’d get lost.

 

All to soon, exhaustion forced him to stop as the pain became so far from tolerable he was ready to keel over, his limbs shaking and his vision blurring. Instinctively he found a large raised tree root that had enough room for him to curl under, affording him at least a small measure of protection from the slow drizzle. He curled up as tightly as he could bare, trying to keep warm as he shivered. It was too cold for him out here after growing up in California. His eyes slowly slid shut as he looked around the alien landscape, he’d never felt so alone in his life.

 

Xander jerked awake, unable to stop the scream of agony as his injuries where jarred. His breathing was uncontrollably harsh as he half sobbed, half heaved, his whole body freezing. Tears splashed down his cheeks as he climbed out of his refuge. He felt sick as he finally got to his feet and not just from pain, he’d known they hadn’t liked him, he was used to being hit in fact, but what they had done…

Blindly, he began to walk, eyes burning with tears that scalded his face only to cool far to quickly. Every lance of pain from his injuries brought with it a flash of memory. A fist that smashed into his jaw, knocking him down. A boot to the chest as he stared at his fathers infuriated face, Uncle Rory at his side cheering him on, adding his own hits when his dad had paused to catch his breath. Fists and feet raining down on him, getting faster and faster. Then there was his mom, his mom had watched from the couch, her eyes dull and dispassionate. He didn’t’ know what he’d done to deserve such a beating. 

Xander scrubbed at his eyes unable to stop the tears that ran like rivers down his face, feet stumbling as he shuffled, every time he put weight on his injured leg a sob would be wrenched from him. With every tear that fell, the more angry he got. Anger at his family, who’d done this to him. Anger at himself for feeling like he did, at feeling betrayed that they’d tried to kill him, grief his parents hated him enough to kill him. Yet even angry, he couldn’t stop the tears. It fuelled him though, gave him a reason to fight the pain inside and the bitter cold outside, it was enough to keep him moving forward.  
It seemed like an age before the tears stopped, his chest on fire from his harsh sobbing and panting breathing, but he still couldn’t stop moving, wouldn‘t. There was no way he was going back to the hospital, no way letting them find him. He wouldn't go back to Sunnydale either, he…couldn’t. A dark laugh bubbled up, they’d probably sent him here for some sick and twisted reason. It just made him all the more determined that he was definitely not going back to the hospital. 

 

Eventually he was forced closer to the road as the light began to fade, nothing in him wanted to be caught in an alien environment in the dark when he was this injured. He didn’t need to listen to the harping from his own personal peanut gallery to know he was easy prey for any hungry hunter that he could come across out here.  
After so long of uneven rough earth, the firm, flat earth at the side of the road was almost a relief, he had no idea how long he’d been out of the hospital but the darkening sky made him worry. He was alone, injured, and exhausted with only the clothes on his back, the stolen cloths on his back. His only comfort was the cold, the frigid freeze that surrounded him, numbing the agony that raced through his body like an inferno. His eyes tracked the floor as he shuffled along, he wanted so much to curl up some where and sleep, to let the numbness take his pain but he couldn’t, it was against everything in him to just give in. So he trudged on, hardly noticing when dirt gave way to pavement, the trees pulling away from him, the wood getting thinner and thinner until it finally gave way to buildings. 

 

A hand on his shoulder startled him, causing him to react, instincts developed over the years and instincts forced into him came together and had him spinning, reaching up and to grab the hand, yanking as hard as he could as he spun sending whoever it was into a flip to land flat on their back. His casted foot pressed against a neck as he held the wrist in a lock, bent back pain fully. He almost hit the floor as the perfectly performed army variation caused pain to blossom in his leg and torso, his vision dimming as his eyes prickled. The person under his foot let out an agonised yelp for the both of them. 

Panting hard Xander eyed the person under his foot, seeing a teen his own age staring up at him, his face screwed up in pain. Looking up he froze, he was stood out side of a diner near him to his left was a black van with the side door open, teens stood around the open door and sat in the back, all staring at him in shock. Inside the Diner patrons where turning to look. His eyes scanned the street for some where run, someway avoid the staring people, he let go of the teen at his feet and hurried across the street. His heart was hammering as he stepped onto the road, eyes on the other side as he searched for possible escape routes. The soldier in his head rattling off possibilities and discarding them faster than he could move. He didn’t see the car that came hurtling around the corner, but he heard the screech of tyres on asphalt and the protest of brakes. He turned in time to see the silver car skid towards him as it tried to stop, his heart beginning to speed as it got closer. He didn’t dare close his eyes as it got ever closer, and then it stopped. Xander looked down at the bumper, swallowing at the sight of his now shaking knees pressing against it. The whole street had gone eerily silent. The sound of the car door being thrown open was deafeningly loud in contrast pulling his attention up to the guy who got out. 

“What the _hell_ are you playing at!” The driver slammed out of his car, stalking forward before stopping abruptly a few feet away.

Xander looked up in shock, eyes taking in the pale teen that stood there, his almost black eyes wide, his jaw clamped shut hard enough Xander could make out the muscles twitching beneath the marble like skin, his hands where clenched at his sides. Xander blinked, what was he playing at? He couldn’t help it, the words practically spewed from his lips.

“What am I _playing_ at?” He demanded in shock. “ _I'm_ not the fucking lunatic racing around town going fuck knows how fast!” He couldn’t help it, his voice rising until he was shouting at the guy, who blinked, taking a step back in shock; like he wasn’t used to someone getting back in his face.

“Well if you’d watch where you're walking!” The guy snarled. Xander blinked at him, hands clenching into fists as he hobbled around the front of the car.

“I did watch where I was going numb nuts so why don’t you watch where your going!” He snapped as he turned and continued to head for the other side of the road. 

He cursed as he saw a squad car turn on the street, swallowing and trying to hurry up. He ducked his head his arm going to his ribs when he herd the car slow to a stop and the door open.

“Alexander?” Some one, a male called from behind. Xander ignored it, no one called him Alexander. He turned at a side street, heading down. “Xander!” The man called. Xander froze, half turning to look at the officer, he didn’t know him, so how did the guy know him. “C’mon Kid.” The guy nodded to the squad car Xander eyed him wearily, deciding the man wasn’t going to arrest him.

“Am I under arrest?” He demanded flatly, the officer blinked in shock frowning at him. 

“No.” The officer stated slowly.

“Then thanks, but no thanks.” Xander turned resuming his slow shuffling walk.

“Kid, you need to go back to the hospital!” He called.

“No thanks, I’m good.” Xander waved his good arm behind him at the officer, trying to slow his heart. 

Today was going from bad to worse, he heard the officer quietly talk to some one, he didn’t have a clue who so he kept walking, sending up a prayer to any one who was listening.  
Could this day really get any worse? He thought tiredly. Really, like he was going to stick around for Rory to show up, he wasn’t suicidal thank you very much. As far as Xander was concerned they could all take a flying leap and he wasn’t the only one. The Hyena was so angry that his Pack had done this to them she wanted to hunt them all down and spend a long time teaching them just who the Alpha of their pack was. The fact that she’d learned while she’d been stuck in the back of his head made her rage all the more worse, she understood that human parents didn’t do what his had done and his very own Tackelberry wanted to get very inventive with some land mines, the Harris house, their vices of choice, some chloroform, and deadbolts. In fact, he mused as he continued on his way, they where a lot more _there_ than they had been in a long while. Their thoughts more present than they usually were, more coherent and solid. 

Keeping his head down, he forced himself to keep going, he had no idea where he was going and there was no doubt in his mind that he wouldn’t be able to walk there. The simple fact was, Rory was somewhere in town and if Rory was here in town then Xander sure as hell wasn’t going to be any longer than necessary. 

His racing heart had finally slowed, but with it went the adrenalin and the pain flared up again. He moved to a high fence surrounding a property, leaning back against it as he rested. Another squad car turned on the road, making him duck his head, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Any hope he had was dashed when the car slowed to a stop before him. Xander watched from under dark eyelashes as a man in his thirties climbed from the car, his slightly weathered face drawn in relief as the man looked him over..

“Thank god!” The man moved over his tone relieved, Xander watched the man come closer with frown. ”Xander right?” The man asked softly, Xander nodded as he wearily eyed the officer offering Xander his hand. “I’m Charlie Swan, I’m your uncle.”

Well damn, he hadn't been expecting that.


	2. 2

Xander stared at the man in front of him, the man declaring himself as his uncle. Xander snorted in disbelief shaking his head and pushing away from the wall, this whole day was too surreal. 

“Xander?” The man, Charlie if he was to be believed frowned at him. 

“I think you’ve got the wrong guy.” Xander offered weakly peering up at the man, he had no idea who this man was at all. 

“You are Alexander Lavelle Harris?” Charlie asked quietly, keeping his tone soothing like the doctor had. 

The man was acting like he was going to be spooked or something, either that or the guy knew he would do a runner if he had to. He nodded reluctantly that the man had his name right. Thing was, he actually could be related given what little he actually knew about his mothers side of the family, which was a big zilch. 

“Jessica, your mother, is my little sister.” Charlie told him. 

True it was possible, Charlie had the same eyes as his mum, even so, he wasn't going to just trust it. This could still be some kind of plot or plan, this man could have motives of his own, though what some random stranger would want with the only child of two drunks Xander couldn't imagine at the moment. No matter how much this was one of his youngest dreams come true.

“What’s my moms birthday?” Xander demanded eying the man as he lent back against the wall.

“June third.” Charlie answered looking at him. “Why did you run from the hospital?” He asked with a frown, but he didn't look away, there was nothing In Charlie's face to say he was lying.

“I thought Uncle Rory was waiting for me.” Xander shrugged, trying for nonchalant as he continued to watch the officer, Charlie seemed genuinely concerned about him. Charlie shook his head before answering.

“No, Rory Harris isn’t in Forks. He’s looking at a long prison sentence.” Charlie admitted, waiting for Xanders reaction.

“It’s not the first time.” Xander answered simply, shifting to look at the darkening sky.

“Come on kid, lets get you back to the hospital, you really shouldn’t be out.” Charlie nodded to the car. Xander looked at him again weighing his options, biting his lip a moment.

“Where are my parents?” he finally asked, he hoped to everything holy he could trust this man.

“In jail, waiting for their court date.” Charlie answered.

Xander snorted softly. Knowing Sunnydale like he did, they’d probably get off with a fine or something. He pushed off the wall and headed for the squad car, he was past the point of caring now, he hurt too much. He heard Charlie’s sigh of relief from behind him before the man moved around to help him into the front of the car.  
The hard car seat was heavenly, he couldn’t help but relax as his injuries no longer had to support him, he looked back at Charlie as the man climbed into the car before resting his head back.

“So your mom’s older brother?” He asked turning to watch the scenery as the car began to move.

“Yeah, she ran off with that bastard Tony when she was your age. I didn’t know she had a kid until a nurse at Sunnydale Memorial called.” Charlie told him quietly and Xander closed his eyes a moment.

“Val McNally?” He asked quietly, going back to watching the world pass by.

“I think that’s her name. You remember how you got hurt don’t you?” Charlie asked after a pause.

“Yes.” Xander answered bluntly, he was to tired to pussyfoot around. 

Yeah he remembered his parents and uncle had tried to kill him, a pregnant silence hung in the air between them. Xander knew he should be panicking more but exhaustion was currently his new best friend, blanketing him with a calm he figured he wouldn't have other wise. He'd long ago given up on the hope of getting rescued from his parents abuse, somewhere around the time he realised they didn't want him. 

“Your stuff is at my house.” Charlie piped up after a moment, Xander frowned again, turning to look at the officer he was apparently related to. “I’ve got custody of you until you eighteen.” Charlie took his eyes off the road to look at him, gauging his reaction to the news. 

What could Xander say to that, how many times had he wished some long lost family member would come and take him away from Sunnydale, how many times had he prayed someone would notice the bruises and broken bones. He wanted to laugh, he’d resigned himself to dying on the hell mouth, laying in some gutter to rot after being taken out by some hungry fledge or a drunk driver and now here was this long lost Uncle telling him he was out of there. It wasn't a hope, a day dream or a whist full thought, it was reality. 

‘Perfect, just perfect!’ he thought sarcastically. His eyes drifted down to his left leg, even if he wanted to go back to the hellmouth and help the gang with Spike and his loony-toon girlfriend, what could he do like this? At the moment he really was as useless as they thought he was.

“Don’t worry, I’m not that bad to be around. Just ask Bella.” Charlie offered quietly, Xander took his eyes off the trees out side to look at his would-be uncle. Great so now he was getting between his uncle and the mans girlfriend and they’d only just met.

“Bella?” He asked quietly, it was an easier subject to fill the uncomfortable periods of silence that kept creeping in. 

“My daughter, your cousin I guess. She’s about a year younger than you.” Charlie smiled proudly, it didn’t take a genius to tell the man was proud of his daughter. “She can’t wait to meet you, you know, I think she even dragged Jacob around town looking for you today.” Charlie offered as they pulled onto the hospital’s drive. Xander winced, now he felt like a complete idiot.

“Sorry about that, I really don’t like hospitals.” He offered quietly as the car stopped just off the ambulance bay. 

“We figured, I’m just glad your ok kid.” he smiled getting out of the car. 

Xander opened his door, wrestling with his useless leg. He accepted Charlie’s hand as the man helped him out, unable to help the low groan of pain as his ribs twanged. He took a moment to collect himself as Charlie shut the car door, before setting off for the doors. He didn’t like to feel so useless so there was no way he was sitting in a wheelchair and being pushed around when he’d walked out of here. He ducked his head as he spotted the doctor from earlier, wincing slightly as the man noticed him.

“Chief, you found him!” The doctor sounded relieved.

“All the way on the other side of town Doc.” Charlie nodded, Xander shifted a little to look around the reception uncomfortably.

“Impressive.” Dr Cullen murmured and he did sound impressed, Xander looked up at the pale man trying not to show how wary of him he suddenly was. What was he going to say if they asked about it? “Well, let’s get you back to bed, I want to make sure you haven’t torn any of your stitches.” Dr. Cullen motioned behind him towards the orderly with the wheelchair. Xander eyed the contraption of evil, fighting down shudder.

“Yeah sure, which way?” He asked, eying the corridors, trying to find something he recognised from his escape. 

“Don’t like wheelchairs?” Charlie asked softly, looking at him. 

“Not when they're for me, no.” Xander answered flatly, he'd learned the hard way, being confined to a wheelchair meant he was trapped. 

“This way.” Dr Cullen began walking reluctantly, shaking his head at the orderly. Relieved Xander followed, Charlie at his side. “I believe Bella and her boyfriend are waiting for you.” Dr Cullen look at them over his shoulder, whether it was directed at him or at Charlie he didn’t know, but since he didn’t know Bella or her boyfriend he assumed it was the latter.

“How long before I can get the cast off?” He asked hating the way his useless leg dragged, he honestly didn’t care at the moment that it would probable hurt a lot worse with out it, at the moment he just wanted the damn thing off, hell he’d sneak out and cut it off himself if he had too and it wouldn’t be the first time either. 

“Not for a few months I’m afraid.” Dr Cullen answered as the turned down a hall Xander immediately recognised, he felt his heart plummet. 

He followed them into the room he’d escaped from not to long ago, eyes halting on the two figures inside. A pair of teens, one pale from lack of sunlight and the other Native American. The first thing he noticed was the way the hyena seemed to still in his head when his eyes clapped on the boy across from him, he couldn’t help but hold the dark eyes. Spot was on edge, unsure whether this boy was a threat. He was relieved when the boy broke eye contact first, and he continued towards the bed before anyone could take notice, slapping a cheerful Xander-smile on his face. 

“Your Bella right?” He offered the girl his hand on the way to his bed.

“Yeah, this is Jacob.” Bella shook his hand. The newly identified Jacob shook his hand after.

“Xander.” he nodded to the two, sitting on the bed with a wince. He looked at the Dr as he pulled himself further onto the bed. “Can’t I get an air cast or something instead of this? it’s kinda hard to walk.” he asked hopefully.

“That’s the idea, we had to place pins in your leg to hold the bones together while they heal, I’m afraid the cast won’t be coming off for a few months.” The Doctor moved over and began reattaching the sticky pads, shooting a look at Charlie while he worked. 

“Come on you two, let’s let the Doctor work.” Charlie ordered hand dipping into his coat, he withdrew his wallet as Bella and Jacob moved over and handed them some money with orders to go get something to eat.

The two teens left, leaving Xander with the doctor and potential uncle. Xander eyed the two men a moment in trepidation, all he had deciphered from his chart on his escape was that he was pretty damn lucky to be alive. 

“So how bad is it?” he asked quietly, waiting for any facial expression that would give them away.

“I’m surprised you where able to get as far as quickly as you did.” Dr. Cullen told him quietly, gently lifting the blue top and got to work on unwinding the bandage around his ribs as a nurse walked in.

“I’m a big boy doc, I can handle it.” he looked between the two men, keeping his tone even, hell he had been handling his own injuries for years. 

“There’s a chance you’ll need a walking aid, and possible a brace for the rest of your life.” Dr. Cullen answered him quietly. Xander swallowed thickly, he was barely seventeen and he might need a walking stick. “It’s still early days yet, we’ll know more as you heal.” Dr. Cullen offered supportively, Xander tried to shrug as the bandage finally came off. “We had to operate to repair your right lung, your rib nicked the surface when it broke but it should heal quickly.” He continued as he removed the surgical patch. 

Xander eyed the dark swollen line that bisected his chest, held together with black surgical stitches. He felt faintly sick at the thought of some one having their hands inside him, near his heart, so close they could hold it in their palm. The Dr carefully eyed the wound as the nurse returned with equipment and supplies and Xander wondered just how he had been up and about. The blond had mentioned him being out a week, even Xander knew he shouldn't have been able to get out of bed. Yes it had hurt, but looking at the swollen skin that was already beginning to knit together, he knew this wasn't exact ally normal. 

“Well, it looks like you haven’t torn anything, which is good but I’d like to keep a close eye on this for the next week.” Dr Cullen offered him a reassuring smile as he moved away to pull on some gloves, a note of surprised relief in his voice. 

“I have to be here a week?” Xander asked in shock, unable to suppress the shudder that crept up his spine, he highly doubted he could last a week in a hospital.

“At least, you had brain surgery too.” Dr Cullen peered at him as he picked up some surgical wipes in his gloved hands, moving over to begin cleaning the wound. Xander let go of the scrub top to run his bandaged hand over his head, his chart had said something about a sub dermal haematoma, was that the brain surgery? 

“We had to open your skull to help reduce the swelling.” Dr. Cullen told him. “Your very lucky to be here Alexander.” The Doctor’s amber eyes locked on his a moment. 

“Xander.” he automatically corrected. “Only my mom calls me Alexander.” he added softly, feeling his head ache beginning to grow worse, yeah, he really felt lucky at the minute. Not!

“Xander.” Dr. Cullen nodded as he worked. “Don’t worry, we’ll have you out of hear in no time.” he smiled, for some reason Xander had the distinct impression of looking at a hungry shark with way to many teeth, despite the fact there was no teeth flashed in the smile. 

He chalked it up to the hyena, all day she had been more active adding more and more inane comments to his internal monologue. It would have scared him last year if she had been as active, but now she didn’t feel alien, she didn’t feel like she was waiting to take over and push him to the back of his own mind. Maybe it was because of Tackleberry’s recent addition to his own personal peanut gallery. He was brought out of his mental musings by a huge yawn. Unable to fight it as the day caught up to him. He was exhausted despite the fact he’d only been awake a few short hours. 

Dr. Cullen quickly finished cleaning and wrapping his chest before pushing him gently back into the bed. 

“You should get some rest.” He ordered softly, taking a syringe off the side table, he injected it into the IV that was protruding from the back of Xander’s hand. He nodded, feeling bone tired all of a sudden.

“I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow Xander, I’m pretty sure Bella will be popping around too.” Charlie offered warmly, Xander nodded yawning again as he rested back against the pillows, loosing the fight to stay awake. 

He watched with heavy lids as the two men left to let him sleep. He turned, curling up awkwardly on his side as much as his battered body would let him. The door closed behind them with a soft click, he hugged himself softly. He really didn’t want to sleep but he’d all ready lost the battle, his eyes sliding shut as he slipped into a pain free blackness, only his soft snores filling the room.


	3. 3

Bella slipped into his room carrying a large bag, Jacob at her heals. Xander didn’t mind, he was grateful for the distraction despite the fact he didn’t know his cousin or her boyfriend. 

“Hey.” Bella set the bag on the end of his bed, looking at him a moment. “How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Bored.” Xander answered truthfully, the nurses and Dr. Cullen kept sticking needles into his IV that made his head fuzzy and everything stop hurting for a while. Bella smiled and began pulling things from the bag.

“Dad asked me to bring you some stuff, just in case.” She offered, holding up a book. “I didn’t know what you liked so…” She handed the dusty old tome over along with a few of his comics. “I just grabbed these from the top of the box.” she offered. Xander eyed the Paladin Codex with a frown, it was one of Giles’ research books.

“My stuff is really up here?” Xander frowned harder, tracing the emblem of a sword on the front of the book.

“Dad said this guy and two girls helped him pack, your friends I think.” Bella shrugged. “He went down to get you and they were there or something.” she offered. Xander blinked, setting the book and comic on his lap.

“Buffy, Willow and Giles.” He guessed as Bella moved around to sit in the chair at the side of his bed, not a hard guess to make either. 

“I don’t know, he should be here in a bit if you want to ask him.” Bella pulled a chocolate bar out of the bag offering it to him. Xander couldn’t help but grin as he took it. 

“Thanks, you didn’t have to.” He peered at her, then up to the silent Jacob lent against the back wall to include him. 

“It’s ok, way I figure it, your all alone up here. Must be scary.” Bella offered, peering at him. 

“Kinda.” He nodded reluctantly, he paused as he opened his chocolate bar, looking at his cousin. “Is everyone pale around here?” He asked, it had been bugging him since he’d walked into town yesterday, everyone seemed to be pale.

“Some more than others.” Jacob nodded, eyeing him. “We don’t get a lot of sun around here.” he offered. Xander felt relieved. “Why?” he asked

“I’m from Cali, I thought I’d wandered into some sort of Vampire town.” He chuckled, keeping his tone light. Bella snorted at him. 

“Vampire town? I think those comic books have gone to your head.” She smiled a moment, but Jacob… Xander wasn’t quite sure about him as the teen just looked at him.

“Definitely not the comic books.” Xander smiled lightly, shrugging off his curiosity at Jacobs reaction. They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence a moment. 

“So, California, do you surf?” Jacob asked after a moment, obviously searching for something to talk about.

“Ah, not so much.” Xander shook his head, shifting as his right leg began to get numb. “Sunnydale wasn’t much of a surfing town, we bowled and we bronzed.” He told them, honestly. ‘And then we patrol.’ he added mentally. 

“Bronzed?” Bella shifted in her seat, tilting her head to look at him.

“Yeah, it’s the local teen hang out. It’s either hang out at the bronze or hang out in some cemetery.” He added dryly, not adding that he did a lot of that either. 

“Sunnydale’s a small town then, Fork’s shouldn’t be too much of a shock.” Bella offered supportively. “Oh, I’ve got to ask. What’s with all the old books?” she peered at him from under a curtain of hair. 

“Old books?” He asked, proud that his voice didn’t squeak, since when did he have old books? 

“Like that one, what is that about anyway?” Bella pointed to the Paladin Codex in his lap.

“Oh, old books.” Xander nodded, stalling a moment as he thought quickly, the drugs admittedly weren’t helping him in that respect. “History club at school, we looked into old legends and folk stories.” He lied fingering the book, if he was right the one in his lap was written in Latin.

He couldn’t help but wonder why he had it, the last he knew the book was in the library because it was one best books for identifying the common garden variety demons. Why would Giles send him one of the research collection?

“Any good ones?” Jacob asked interested, Xander blinked, he couldn’t out right tell them that half the things in the book they had actually come across. 

“Err.” He hummed, the hyena gave the equivalent of an eye roll. “There’s one about African shaman who where supposedly able to take animal spirits in to them to make them stronger. Old legends like that.” he offered.

Jacob seemed to startle eyeing him a moment, a look of surprise on his face. The look was quickly gone but not before Xander noted it. 

“We have one similar.” Jacob offered after a moment.  
Xander looked at Jacob in surprise. Was that the reason Spot didn’t know what to make of him? Was Jacob a Primal? The hyena snarled a little at the nick name, but a superior smugness radiated off her. He got the feeling she considered Jacob weak, so maybe he wasn’t a Primal but something else. 

“You’ll have to tell me about it some time, if it’s anything like the African legend it’s got to be interesting.” He smiled disarmingly, maybe once he heard it he’d be able to tell if Jacob was a Primal or not.

“Sure.” Jacob nodded, smiling a little hopping up to sit on the back cabinet.

“Bit of a history geek?” Bella asked smiling at them both.

“Definitely not, I’m a slacker by nature.” Xander shrugged settling back into the pillows.

“Somehow I can’t see you as the slacker type.“ Bella offered standing up “We’ll probably be back later, if you want?” She offered peering at him

“Yeah, sure..” Xander nodded at them as both his visitors got ready to leave.

“Sorry, I said we’d help my dad on the Res.” Jacob admitted quietly.

“No worries dude, you two didn’t have to come.” Xander smiled thankfully at them. 

“Thanks for coming.” He added. 

“See you later Xander.” Bella waved as the two left his room, leaving him alone again.

 

A little lost at what to do with himself now they were gone, Xander eyed the books in his lap. He picked up the codex and set it on his bedside table, knowing if he had trouble sleeping it was the cure. He picked up the first comic, eyeing it, it was one he’d read before but it was better than nothing. He settled it to read a classic tale of Superhero vs. Super villain.

Hours ticked by as Xander whittled his way through the small stack of comic books trying to unsuccessfully draw them out but all too soon he’d finished the last comic on the pile. From the side table the Paladin Codex practically screamed at him. He busied him self with the tasteless lunch an orderly left, trying to procrastinate a little. He couldn’t help but want to leave the book alone, it was to much like school, and to have hospital and school combined was his worst nightmare.  
Eventually though his boredom won out and he was force to pick the book up, the heavy tome practically laughing at him. Of course that could have been the drugs the nurse had given him after lunch. He blinked as a folded sheet of paper slid from between the pages, falling into his lap. He set the book down gingerly, eyeing the paper. As far as he knew the codex was just a book, but still, he’d been weary of them ever since one had caught fire when he spoke a word aloud. Carefully he picked the sheet up, warmth curling in his chest when he noticed Giles’s neat cursive. 

_Xander_

_My dear boy I pray this letter finds you well. I have hidden it within the Paladin Codex, one of several books I have sent with your belongings._  
_The man who has come to take you away is an Officer Charles Swan and I am confidant this man is not only your uncle but of a good sort. I had Willow check his credential’s on her infernal machine and he his who he appears to be. He is taking you to a town called Forks, somewhere in Washington State._  
_Forks is a quiet town, and nothing I have found would suggest any extracurricular activities, even so, I have sent you some of the general books just in case. They are more for my piece of mind, but I do hope you find use for them, other than their practical purpose or as door props._  
_In the face of recent events I offer you my sincere apologies that I could not be of more help. It is with regret that I admit I have not been a good mentor with you, allowing my duties as a watcher and training Willow’s new found talents to blind me from you. Perhaps you will be able to use this chance to your gain, to step away from the expectations placed on you, to start with a clean slate if you will. I believe you could achieve great things Xander._  
_Officer Swan has informed me you are to be residing in Forks with him until your eighteenth birthday, and hopefully your graduation from high school. I hope you find this town, and this new found family to your liking but know that we will miss you, I know Buffy and Willow miss you already. Please do not hesitate to contact me, for any reason._

_Your friend  
Rupert Giles._

Xander set the letter down wiping his prickling eyes, the letter was pure Giles so much so he could practically hear the English man. It made him feel homesick. Willow was probably worrying her self sick, baking enough cookies to send Buffy into a diabetic coma despite her Slayer metabolism. He’d left them to deal with Spike and Drusilla alone, with the Billy Idol wannabe still baying for the slayers blood, but honestly, what could he do to help at the moment other than slow them down? Despite his homesickness, and his general useless feeling, the letter had warmed his heart.  
He felt better than he had done since waking up to a strange nurse, and the fact that Giles cared enough to check up on Charlie was icing on the cake, lifting his spirits. He felt like he could actually stick out his stay at the hospital. He set the letter down carefully, wanting to keep the caring words on the paper safe. 

Looking at the codex, he suddenly felt like reading it, the words on the paper spurring him on. Giles believed he could do this, he could graduate and be better than he was. With that in mind he opened the thick tome, settling in to read. If nothing else it would improve his Latin skills. He just hoped the watcher had remembered to pack a few of the translation guides. While he’d picked enough Latin over the last year and a half to read simple sentences, he wasn’t exactly fluent.

It was a surprise when as he began to read for the sake of reading, he actually became interested in the contents of the book. Maybe it was because he wasn’t searching for anything in particular or maybe it was because he didn't have his fathers voice echoing in his head, but as he read the contents began to get more and more interesting.  
It began with a theory on how the world began but it wasn’t as dry as school text books, it could be because it was almost like reading science-fiction, but he knew that demons and magic were real. In any case, he found himself sucked into the struggles of early humans against the Old Ones, the original demons. Demons that where nothing like what where on earth today.

Xander could identify with them, even just a little, because he knew how hard it was to fight Vampires. They didn’t have the numbers the humans in the book had to fight on the Hellmouth, they didn't have millions of humans or allied demons waiting in the wings to take out the latest demon of the week. The book was like the Hellmouth, only on a global scale. At the same time, even though he could identify with them, it was humbling. To know that humans had taken on the old ones, and they did it with only swords, arrows, axes and magic, working together with lower demons and half breeds. Which begged the question, Were all demons evil? Suddenly Xander didn’t think so.


	4. Chapter 4

Xander looked up as Dr. Cullen entered his room for his daily check up, after a week he was getting used to the daily routines of the hospital staff and the flow that came with it. Dr. Cullen always came to check him just after lunch, before his rounds started in the afternoon; which was when Jane came in intending to give him his bed bath but she usually followed him as he hobbled about the hospital to clean up and stretch. Jane would put him back to bed and he would go back to reading until Charlie turned up to check on him and make sure he was still in his hospital bed, not attempting another runner. 

“How are we today Xander?” Dr. Cullen asked as he moved in, a warm smile on his face as he moved to the chart at the bottom of the bed. 

Despite the fact Dr. Cullen sometimes set off Spot and his own Hellmouth instincts, Xander couldn’t help but warm to the genuinely nice man. Carlisle Cullen was an enigma, but even though Xander was sure there was more to the man than his caring doctor-ness, he knew the man wasn’t about to eat him or play hop-scotch with his insides.

“Still going slowly insane, as usual.” Xander informed the Doctor charmingly, Dr. Cullen just shook his head in a amusement as he set the chart down and moved around to begin his check up.

“Still reading that book I see?” The blond teased gently as he perched next to Xander, who dutifully lifted his baggy shirt allowing the doctor access to his bandaged ribs. 

“Still, I think I’ve got about a quarter left to read.” Xander nodded, lips twitching as the bandage was unraveled. “Giles would eat his tweed jacket if he knew I’d actually sat and read the thing. I’m blaming the drugs.” He grinned at the Dr, who as Xander predicted rolled his eyes good-natured. 

“Jane is impressed that your reading Latin, I must say I am too.” The doctor offered as the bandage was finally removed completely, all trace of the teasing banter gone.

“I wouldn’t say I read it, know enough to get the general meaning.” Xander shrugged, ducking his head.

“I’d say you knew more then that, have you thought about taking a few classes to help?” He skied seriously, checking the stitches in his chest. “These are almost ready to come out Xander, another day or two at the most.” He observed.

“Thank god!” Xander sighed in relief “Can you leave the bandage off then, I’ll be real careful?” Xander asked hopefully, adding the puppy-eyes for effect. Dr. Cullen pursed his lips a moment, then nodded.

“We’ll leave it off for today, but I’ll come back and check on you tonight before I leave, any deterioration whatsoever and the bandage goes back on.” Dr. Cullen warned, applying a fresh surgical patch.

Xander dropped his shirt with a grin when the blond finished with his chest. Unresisting as the Doctor checked on his head, feeling good about his small victory. 

“So, have you thought about taking Latin?” Dr. Cullen asked, checking on the nearly nonexistent wound on his head. 

“Me and school don’t mix very well, if there were a course in slacking I’d probably flunk that too.” Xander shrugged lightly.

“Some how I doubt that Xander, you’re a very bright boy.” Dr. Cullen praised, Xander shifted uncomfortably, trying not to flinch as the pen light came out. As if sensing Xander’s discomfort Dr. Cullen switched topics. “So how do you think you’ll do with the chief and Bella?” he asked.

“They're nice people.” Xander shrugged lightly, relaxing as the doctor moved to make note on his chart.

“They are, I think you’ll enjoy living with them” Dr. Cullen smiled reassuringly. 

“I guess.” Xander nodded. 

“I’ll see you tonight Xander.” Dr. Cullen promised, setting his chart in it’s place.

“O.k.” Xander nodded again, watching the doctor leave.

The room was plunged into silence as Xander was left alone with nothing but his Paladin Codex as company. Even though the book was interesting, he still wasn’t comfortable sitting and reading for hours, he wasn’t a sit still type of person, he was naturally hyper. Looking at the big clock on the wall, he made a snap decision. 

Awkwardly Xander climbed out of bed, pausing only to write a note for anyone who walked in, so they wouldn’t call a manhunt for him. The room was chilly even though he was dressed in the warmest clothes Charlie could find, the cold weather of Forks would take some getting used to that was for sure.  
He left his room at a slow, leisurely pace. Marvelling at the lack of pain from his injuries. What had been agony enough to make him pass-out, was now pain and dull aches that he could stand. He firmly refused to worry about it at the moment, if he started now, stuck in the hospital he really would go crazy. He could deal with his budding freaky super-healing later, right now he was good with avoidance, hell he had enough to worry about already.

Xander didn’t sneak as he slowly trekked the halls, not hiding or trying to escape. It was nice being able to just move for once, it helped him to think and allowed him to clear his head. Having nothing to do but sit, read and think had put his head into a bit of a spin, leaving him stewing with uncomfortable thoughts.  
The book he’d been reading, while usually a good identification manual for the latest demon of the week, held more than what they where and how to kill them. Now he was actually taking it all in instead of finding out what they were and how to kill them, he was learning about them. 

He wasn’t as naive as to think all demons were innately good, but the book had made him think, and he wasn’t sure if demons where innately evil either. Reading about how humans and demons had banded together to drive out the old ones was a big point in that, as was what he’d found within the later pages. While some of the demons had been bad; sick and twisted from his point of view really, not all of them had been. Some species had writing, music and art, proving they weren’t all just mindless killing machines bent on world destruction or wholesale genocide.  
Which was why he found himself placing a collect call to the hellmouth from the pay-phones in the reception. He really hoped Giles wouldn’t mind him calling during business hours. 

The phone answered on it’s fifth ring, the cultured English voice on the other end made homesickness wash through him. 

“Hey G-man.” He responded to the polite greeting and he couldn’t help the grin on his face, he really had missed the older man. 

“Xander? Xander is that you?” The man sounded flustered and shocked.

“Alive and kicking Giles.” Xander agreed, leaning against the wall.

“Good Lord! How are you? Are you well?” Giles began, Xander felt warmth flood his chest at the worry in the older man’s tone, it felt more than a little nice to know that the man cared about him.

“I’m fine G-man, alive and still in one piece.” He promised. “What about you? And the girls? How are they?” Xander asked. 

“I’m fine my boy, glad to know your doing well, as for the girls. I dare say they will be ecstatic to hear your up and well.” Giles informed him, Xander could hear the relief in the mans voice. “How long have you been awake my boy?” Giles asked and Xander couldn’t help the pang of guilt, he should have snuck out to call sooner.

“A week, they won’t let me out of bed.” He told the man honestly.

“Why? Were you hurt that badly? I know they said you were in a coma but the doctors and the hospital staff here assured us it wasn’t that bad.” Giles demanded.

“Pretty much, got a full leg cast on that they won’t take off for a few months, and I’ve got a cool scar on my chest from the op they did.” Xander informed the Englishman, keeping his tone light. 

He didn’t want to lie about it to the man, but he also didn’t want Giles to worry, especially since he was getting better. 

“Dear lord Xander, I had no idea!” Giles sounded not just shocked, but his tone sounded heavy with a mix of guilt and worry too.

“It’s cool G-man, I’m getting better.” He promised, trying to placate the watcher. 

“You could have died!” Giles exclaimed in horror, Xander frowned, three times he’d called Giles G-man but he’d still hadn’t got the usual response from the man.

“I’m fine Giles, honestly, and hey, I even got your letter.” He told Giles, hoping to shift the conversation and get the watcher to stop worrying. 

“You did?” Now Giles just sounded surprised. 

“I did.” Xander agreed, then paused, taking a deep breath. “Thanks Giles.” he gripped the receiver, hoping the watcher understood.

“You are more than welcome my boy.” Giles replied softly, his tone warm and caring, 

Xander couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face, he knew he was probably grinning like a loon. There was a pause between them but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

“If you got my letter then you’ve got the Codex?” Giles asked, Xander could almost see the small knowing smile on the watchers face. 

“I’ve read a few pages.” Xander admitted, shifting sheepishly. “It’s actually interesting when we’re not looking for the…assignment of the week.” he added in his defence. 

“Your quite right Xander, but there is something you must know.” The watcher paused a moment and Xander waited patiently for the man to speak. “The Hellmouth is different from the rest of the world, it draws the most vile and corrupt to its centre.” he began. “The beings we have encountered here are not the status quo, if you will.” Giles informed him honestly.

“They're not all bad.” Xander guessed.

“Exactly.” Giles agreed. Xander bit his lip, frowning.

“Giles, how come you never told us that before?” He asked quietly, he hoped the man had a reason, because if he’d helped kill something that wasn’t evil…

“Until now you were here with us, on the Hellmouth. Sunnydale attracts the vile and corrupt. Generally the demons here are definitely evil and do need to be kept from the rest of the world, but don’t forget, the demons we have slain were brought to our attention because of their nefarious habits.” Giles told him honestly, Xander frowned nodding as he listened, turning the information over in his head. 

“I think I get that.” Xander nodded, and he did get it.

“I had no doubt that you would Xander, you have a unique way of looking at the world.” Giles praised.

Xander shifted a little at what had definitely been praise. “Thanks.” he stated quietly, he bit his lip looking around for a clock he was pretty sure if he wasn’t back by the time Jane got to his room he’d be in big trouble. “I’ve gotta get back Giles, before anyone notices I took a walk without permission. I’ll call you later.” He vowed.

“That’s quite alright Xander, my ear is always open, as it were.” Giles offered.

“Thanks Giles, that…means a lot. I’ll call you later.” Xander smiled slightly.

“Goodbye Xander.” Giles hung up.

Xander put the receiver back on its cradle, looking around the hall a moment before heading back up to his room. 

His talk with Giles had helped lift some of the weight off his shoulders, he wasn’t scared that he was the same as the things they had hunted, killing indiscriminately. Giles was right, they had only killed the ones that had drawn attention by killing people. He could sleep with out the nightmare he was turning into a psycho killer.

Xander slipped back into his room and climbed into his bed, relieved he hadn’t been missed. He picked his book up, settling in to read until Jane turned up, his good mood pushing away his lingering worries and doubts.


	5. Chapter 5

Doctor Cullen was frowning at him slightly, a baffled look trying to creep onto his face though the older man made a valiant effort at not letting it show too much. Xander held his breath a moment, unable to keep his eyes off the doctor as the blond flicked his eyes over the latest tests. Beside the bed, Charlie had plonked himself into the uncomfortable chair as they both waited for the results. 

Xander knew he should be more worried, given that he was progressing ‘exceptionally well’ as the neurological surgeon had stated, but he wanted to be out of the hospital. 

“So what's the verdict Doc?” Charlie prompted the blond.

Dr. Cullen shifted, perching on the foot of Xander’s bed and lowering the clipboard to peer at Xander a moment.

“Well truthfully, Xander, you are very lucky. Now, after everything you've been through, we wouldn't dream of discharging you so soon.” The blond admitted, eyes flicking to Charlie to include him. “We're a little amazed at how well you've progressed, now it is true that children bounce back a lot quicker than adults but we see your kind of recovery in smaller children, not seventeen year olds. I've double checked all the test results and there is nothing abnormal, you do have a high level of white cells, but nothing bad.” He paused eyes flicking back down to the chart as if to confirm once more. “All departments have signed off, which means it's up to me whether or not to discharge you.” He added.

Xander felt the hope bubble up and couldn't help but give the blond ‘puppy-eyes number fiveTM’. These were the eyes that got him the best brownies off Willow, the sort of eyes that were only to be used rarely. Dr. Cullen’s lips twitched with a smile.

“You'll have to promise to take it easy Xander, I'm serious, you are healing but if you over do it you could make yourself worse. We all want you to get better but you can't rush things.” He warned. 

“C’mon Doc, I know you love our teasing banter as much as I do but I'm going nuts cooped up in here!” Xander couldn't keep the whine out of his voice, shooting Charlie a hopeful look.

“If you promise to get plenty of rest, and you both agree that at any sign of deterioration you come straight back here.” The doctor reluctantly capitulated. Xander nodded eagerly, ignoring the amused smile Charlie gave as the officer agreed. “Fine. I'll let you go.” He nodded. 

“Today?” Xander bit his lip, flicking his eyes between Charlie and Dr. Cullen.

“I am already here Doc.” Charlie hedged. After along moment, the blond relented. 

Xander couldn't help the small cheer and had to fight to keep from fidgeting when both men gave him amused looks. He really did appreciate what they were both doing, being stuck in hospital was never fun. 

 

 

The Swan house looked nice, it wasn’t perfect by any means but from the outside it looked like a home. In any respect Xander didn’t care, he was so relieved to be out of the hospital his Uncle could have passed a shoe box off as his home and Xander wouldn’t have cared in the slightest. 

He hopped out of Charlie's car, his crutches in one hand as he peered up at the house he’d be living in. 

“Are you gonna be ok with the stairs?” Bella asked worriedly as she climbed out from the back seat. 

“I should be.” Xander agreed using the crutches like he’d promised Dr Cullen, to follow his cousin up the path as Charlie parked his squad car next to Bella’s old orange truck. 

Charlie joined them as he hopped up the stairs, he couldn’t really complain about the crutches since they helped a lot, and they where definitely better than being in a wheelchair. 

“I hope you don’t mind but your room is the old guest room.” Charlie told him as they entered the home and Xander got his first look at the interior. It wasn’t extravagant or like the perfect homes from the magazines his mom used to get but it was nice. Homey, it felt like a home. 

“Don’t mind at all.” Xander promised, he followed Charlie up the stairs as the man led him to what he guessed would be his room, and Xander was right. 

The room was small, definitely what used to be the hardly used guest room, a small double bed sat under the window with a side table by the head, a lamp on top. A small desk was in the corner with three bookshelves above it. The last item in the room was a small chest of draws. His stuff was still in boxes stacked neatly. 

“I know it’s not the plaza, but you should have enough room.” Charlie offered. “I hope you don’t mind but Bella picked the bed sheets out.” He pointed to the forest green throw on the bed. 

“It’s great.” Xander looked at Charlie, and it was, his uncle hadn’t had to go to the trouble. 

“Do you want help unpacking, Bella wanted to help but I didn’t think you’d want us going through your things.” Charlie offered.

“Nah, I’m good.” Xander agreed.

“Well, I’ll let you get settled, we’re having pasta in a bit.” Charlie told him.

Xander nodded watching as Charlie left him alone. He waited a moment before propping his crutches against the wall, he hobbled to the large boxes and three duffel's by his bed. 

Looking around the room a moment, he opened the first cardboard box, smiling when his comic books and the books Giles had sent him came into view. He’d finished the Paladin Codex while waiting to be released and it had piqued his curiosity about what else Giles had sent. He carefully unpacked his comics and the stack of old books, hobbling around the room to shelve them on the waiting shelves.   
Unpacking was not his favourite way to pass the time, but he was happy with it for the moment. It gave him something to do, let him stretch his limbs more than the small walks he’d gotten away with, let him work out the stiffness a week and a half of a hospital bed had given him. 

He stepped back as he finished shelving the books and his comics, proud he’d been able to get them in some sort of order. Abruptly, as he moved back to his box, his mind turned to school, which he’d be going to the next day with Bella. He was under strict order that he wasn’t allowed to over do it, but he was allowed to go to school and Bella had even promised to babysit him. 

Usually he wouldn’t be bothered, he was a slacker, but Giles’s word kept coming back to him. Giles believed in him, he got the impression the older man wanted him to use this as a fresh start, a chance to prove he could be better. Which was where the problem was, Xander wanted to be better. He wanted to prove his parents were wrong, prove he could be better than them. Not to mention he would otherwise be stuck in the Swan home alone. 

 

The sound of tyres on gravel outside pulled Xander from his packing, tossing the jeans he wouldn’t be wearing for a while into a draw. He hobbled to the window to see who was pulling up, eyes halting on Jacob as the teen got out of the truck. Figuring he was here for Bella, Xander returned to his unpacking. He hobbled from his room when Charlie called him, hopping down the stairs.

 

 

The first thing he notice was the older man in a wheelchair, he looked a lot like Jacob, but where as Jacob made Spot sit up and take notice, the man in front of him had her hackles raised and her teeth bared.   
He couldn’t tare his eyes away from the mans as the hyena bashed against his mind. There was something about the man she didn’t like but she couldn't place what it was exactly. 

“Xander this is Billy Black.” Charlie introduced. 

Xander barely managed to keep from reacting as he shook Billy’s hand. Whatever Billy was, Xander knew it could be lethal to him if he wasn’t careful. Xander knew as well as Spot did, they where interlopers on claimed territory. 

“Nice to meet you.” Xander smiled at Billy, internally fighting against Spot. 

“So, Jake tells me your interested in old legends.” Billy offered as they moved into the sitting room. 

A little lost at what to do, Xander followed the two older men. “Err, yeah, I was in the mythology club in Sunnydale.” Xander nodded, sitting awkwardly.

“Spooky stories?” Charlie asked. 

‘If only you knew.’ Xander thought, thankful for the distance between himself and Billy, it didn’t do much but it helped calm Spot down a little, enough that Tackelberry could help calm her down. 

“Sometimes.” He answered Billy, shifting on the end of the couch, his immobile leg stuck out in front of him. 

“We have enough of those around here to keep you happy, I’ll bet.” Billy smiled at him, eyes dark. Xander had to wonder if Billy could feel Spot, and if Forks was the reason both she and Tackelberry had become more than the occasional nightmare, random thought and rare sensory spike “You like baseball?” He asked nodding to the big flat screen in the corner. 

“Never watched it.” Xander admitted, eying the TV.

“Well, Dinners almost ready, it’s game night so we usually sit in here.” Charlie offered, before moving into the kitchen. 

“Ok.” Xander shrugged, he was new to all this and it wasn’t like he could go anywhere with the cast on. 

He saw Jacob move and sit near his father. He couldn’t help but wonder why Jacob didn’t feel like Billy, was it because Jacob was younger? Was Billy stronger? And what where they? 

Giles had looked up the town and come up with nothing, but something wasn’t settling right. If Giles hadn’t found anything, it could mean what ever the Black’s were, they weren’t kill happy. Still, Xander had to wonder what they were and why Spot was reacting like she was. Even with his soldier calming her down and restraining her, she still had her hackles up torn between fighting and fleeing. It was hard fighting the temptation to do either, he wasn’t in any condition for a fight, and he doubted he could get far if he ran. Which left him sat here.

“Do you hunt Xander?” Billy asked as he waited for the game to come on. In his head Tackleberry seemed to still wearily as the danger alarm rang in his head. 

“Hunt?” Xander swallowed, looking at Billy.

“Deer, birds, you know, hunt?” Billy asked him. 

“Never tried.” Xander relaxed shaking his head. 

“Never?” Jacob frowned. 

Xander shook his head, he wasn’t going to add that he’d never hunted game but had hunted Demons. Somehow he didn’t think that would go over too well.

“You should come with us sometime.” Jacob offered. 

“Maybe when I get my cast off.” Xander agreed, looking at them trying to think of a safe topic. They hunted, they had to use weapons right? “What weapons do you use?” He asked, looking between Billy and Jacob. 

“Rifles mostly.” Jacob shrugged. “Why, do you think we still use bows and arrows or something?” He asked in amusement.

“No, but even if you did, a carbon fibre longbow is just as good as a rifle if you use it properly.” Xander offered, they all blinked at him. 

“Bit too clunky now-a-days, carrying a longbow around.” Billy chuckled. 

“Well, sometimes.” Xander nodded. “But I know you can get fold up ones that open fully strung. They are like the Aston Martin for the archery set.” He offered.

“You ever use a bow, takes some serious muscles.” Jacob chuckled. 

“They definitely do.” Xander agreed, he wondered if he could still use the bow that Giles had sent with him, the same sort of bow he’d been talking about. 

He knew Giles had sent it to him because neither Giles nor Buffy liked it, they preferred Crossbows and since willow didn’t have the arms to use it Xander had it. It had taken him months to learn how to use it properly, and since the soldier was sniper trained he’d spent a few nights perched somewhere high in Sunnydale’s small forest practicing in the week before he got hurt. 

“You’ve used a bow?” Charlie asked as he moved back in, wiping his hands on a dish towel. Xander nodded, thinking a moment.

“I actually have one.” He admitted.

“You have one?” Billy asked surprised. 

“Yeah, my friend got it, but she doesn’t like bows much, so she gave it me. I’ve never used it off a target board.” He shrugged, which was technically true. He hadn’t had the chance to use it on patrol yet. 

“You mind if I take a look at it?” Charlie eyed him. Xander shook his head and got to his feet. 

He hopped up the stairs to get the bow, it was still in it’s case, which was separate to the small weapons trunk Giles had sent. The small trunk which contained the weapons he’d basically claimed since he liked them and no one else ever used them. He was surprised Giles had sent them, but happy to. He grabbed the oak case that contained the bow off the top of the bed, his weapon trunk was safely under his bed and out of sight, tucked under empty duffel's. It didn’t take him long to hop down the stairs.

He handed the case to Charlie as soon as he entered, he had a reason for admitting to owning a bow after all. 

“Is it illegal up here?” He asked looking at his uncle who opened the case. Charlie let out a soft whistle. 

“It’s still a weapon, but if I get you a license you should be able to practice with it, and take it hunting.” Charlie offered lifting the collapsed bow from the case. Xander nodded. “Can you actually use this?” He asked. 

“Yeah, not such a bad shot either. Can I?” Xander motioned to the bow, Charlie handed it over. 

Xander easily opened the bow, the locks clicking into place to hold it open, the gears and mechanism holding the heavy duty line taught. He gripped the longbow and held it up, pulling back the line to test the tension. His ribs twinged a little, but not as much as he feared they would, no where near near as painful as the should be either. His nose wrinkled a little at the pull weight and he quickly tightened it up before testing it again, wordlessly handing it back to Charlie. Charlie tested the bow, fighting against the tension as he tried to pull the string back. He let go with wide eyes.

“You can use this?” He asked in shock, Xander nodded picking up an arrow to fiddle with. 

“It’s a hobby.” He admitted, twirling the arrow between his finger tips. 

“You said your friend got it but she doesn’t like it?” Bella asked with a frown, looking over Charlie’s arm at the bow.

“Yeah, Buffy liked the short swords better.” Xander shrugged. “ She’s a valley girl at heart, loves shiny things, that and she’s short so she hates long swords, their too long for her arms.” He informed them as Charlie let Billy examine the longbow.

“How come your friend get’s given weapons?” Charlie asked suspiciously.

Xander shifted, putting the arrow back. He couldn’t tell them she had weapons because she was destined to fight the evil that stalked the night. Luckily he had an answer for it, one they’d had ready to use just in case someone happened to notice Buffy and Giles training in the Library.

“Buffy took a lot of martial arts to help her cheerleading when she was younger, even when she stopped cheering, she kept up with it and since Giles used to fence in collage he helps her with her forms. It’s her hobby, she’d win trophies and stuff if she wanted to compete.” He explained. Charlie nodded accepting that, Xander could tell he was relieved to have a decent explanation.

“That’s a nice piece.” Billy handed the bow back to Charlie, who took one look at it and handed it back to Xander. 

Xander smiled a little as he released the catch, keeping his fingers out of the way as the bow closed up. He set the bow back into it’s case before closing the case up. 

“So, do you think I’ll be able to keep up with it?” He asked hopefully, flicking the locks on the case closed. 

“As long as your safe and don’t carry it to school. I’m sure we can find you a spot in the woods for target practice.” Charlie agreed moving back into the kitchen. “Aren’t there a few kids on the Res who know archery?” He called through.

“I’m sure we can arrange something, I’ll bet a few of the boys would love a bit of healthy competition.” Billy agreed. “I’ll see what I can do.” Billy offered. 

Xander nodded, to be honest he wasn’t really bothered about competing, the whole idea of telling Charlie was so he could keep up with the bow, just in case he ever needed it for something. Plus he could have sworn Billy knew something was off about him, just as Xander knew there was something different about Billy. So was the offer of friendly competition a way for the older man to find out if he was a threat or not? Xander sincerely hoped Charlie’s friend decided he wasn’t a threat. And soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Snow. On Xander’s first day of school, he woke up to snow in November, a fresh powder at least a foot deep. Given that he was from sunny California, he felt justified in his misgivings about walking on the stuff. While it was very pretty, Xander had never seen snow other than on the TV, also adding that he was from a very sunny, very warm climate and snow was frozen... He didn’t feel like he was over reacting to want to spend the morning under his warm blanket tucked safely in his bed. 

Alas it was not to be and Xander found himself tentatively hobbling down the stairs with his crutches, bundled into enough layers he could have passed for a hallucinogenic stay-puff marshmallow man. Bella was watching him from inside the cab, giggling softly at him. 

He shook his head as he slowly made his was to the truck, making sure his crutches wouldn’t slip on the cold wet path. He didn’t care that he probably looked silly being so bundled up, all he cared about was being warm, which he wasn’t at the moment. Shooting a glare at Bella as he made it to the truck, he climbed in, settling his crutches next to him as he pulled the door shut, huddling into the huge jacket Charlie had lent him until he could get his own cold weather gear.

“Sorry, but C’Mon, your wrapped in enough clothes to dress a football teem.” Bella chuckled as she reversed out of the drive.

“And I’m still freezing my nuts off.” Xander muttered, rubbing his hands together trying to warm them. Bella giggled again.

“You’ll get used to it.” She promised. 

“I don’t know if I want to get used to it. It’s fuckin’ cold.” He grumbled, glaring out of the window at the passing scenery. 

Both Spot and Tackelberry were in agreement with him, Spot was used to the Serengeti, long open planes of boiling hot temperatures and it seemed Tackelberry hated the cold just as much as they did.   
Thankfully she dropped the topic, instead putting both the radio and the heater on. Pop wasn’t his favourite type of music but he would live, at least as long as the heater worked. 

It didn’t take long before they where pulling into the schools car park, and stopping next to a black van that seemed vaguely familiar to Xander. He wondered where he’d seen it before as he gathered up his crutches and prepared to face the freezing world outside. 

Xander hobbled around the back of the truck, pausing to grab his bag off Bella. While he was stuck wrestling the bag on, Bella introduced him to the teens around the van. 

“So, you’re the guy who put Mike flat on his back!” Eric grinned as he offered Xander his hand. Xander awkwardly shook it.

“I did?” Xander asked.

“I’m Mike, and yeah, you did.” The blondish boy nodded, and he didn’t look to happy about it, but now that they mentioned it, Xander realised that was why the van was so familiar. It had been parked near to where the pale guy with the dark-eyes had almost run him over. 

“Ah, I’m sorry about that, it wasn’t personal or anything.” He looked at the teen, giving them his patented lop-sided grin, hoping he came across as harmless.

“It was a good move man.” Mike reluctantly nodded. 

“Thanks.” Xander shifted looking around the group, he peered at Bella. “Didn’t Charlie say I have to go to the office?” he asked her with a frown.

“Yeah, you need me to take you there?” Bella asked, looking at him.

“Nah, I’m good cuz, see ya later.” He grinned at her, giving them all a little wave before setting off. 

Xander peaked out from between the truck and van before setting off towards the school, slowed by both his crutches an the deep alien powder coating the floor. He’d just hit the half way mark as a silver car came careening into the car-park. Xander froze as the car leapt at him, even as the high-pitched squeal of tyres met his ears.

The car slid a little on the wet road even as it slowed to a heart wrenching stop before him. Xander swallowed thickly, looking down at the all too familiar sight of his knees touching the cars bumper. In the space of five seconds he’d almost ended up back in the hospital. His attention was drawn by the driver climbing out of his car, it was a weird replay of the first time the guy had almost hit him, only this time Xander wasn’t in agony and doped up on pain killers.

“I thought I told you to watch where your going!” The driver practically snarled, Xander looked at him in shock, again the driver was blaming him for something he hadn’t done.

“And I thought I told you to watch where your driving.” He glared at the driver, the glare slipped from his as he actually saw the guy. 

He was still pale, vampire-pale but at the same time it suited him. The dark hair looked almost bronze in the pale over cast light of day, his strong jaw and dark eyes just added to the pretty package. The driver was taller than him, but a smaller built, more compact. Very simply put, whoever he was, he was abso-fuckin-lutely gorgeous. Not quite able to get his anger back at the tall handsome guy, he settled for his tried and true self.

“I gotta ask, do you try to mow down every new guy, or is it just me?” He asked cheekily, grinning at the guy. 

The anger on the drivers face slipped away, replaced by shock as he jaw dropped slightly. Xander couldn’t help but snicker softly at the dumb-struck look, he shook his head as the driver took a step back and climbed back into the sleek silver car. He watched as the car reversed back a little before driving around him and further into the car park, amused Xander hobbled towards the school his spirits surprisingly lifted, his dislike of the snow melted away. 

As Xander hobbled up the stairs, his eyes where drawn to the silver car and the driver who was talking quietly to a group of four teens, two boys, one heavily built and muscular but not in a flabby way with dark hair. The other was shorter, slimmer more compact, angular face with a stern look on his face and dark blond curls falling into his eyes. The two girls where stunning, a short girl with dark hair was glued to the blond males, she reminded him of the pictures of Pixies in Giles’ books, beautiful demure creatures with soft natures and an air of mischief. All she was missing was beautiful pearlescent near translucent wings that left trails of sparkles in the air. In contrast to the little pixie, the blond girl was stunning, as any teenager with an ounce of pop culture would say, the blond was a total knock-out babe. 

Xander couldn’t help but notice their marble like skin, all of them in the group. Marble like skin wasn’t the only thing he noticed, what he couldn’t help but see was how they moved. It was achingly familiar, loose yet grace full movements that oozed violence and strength. They were screaming _predator_ for anyone who looked, a big neon sign Xander hadn’t seen in anything other than his pack.  
While he was thankful Buffy and the Scoobies had stopped Spot and the other hyena spirits form hurting anyone, he couldn’t help but remember what it had felt like to be a part of a pack, his Pack, and sure he wasn’t in control at the time but what Spot had felt, he’d felt. That was the feeling he missed so much he ached with it, the feeling of belonging, of hunting with family you knew would be at your back and at your side. 

Buffy and Willow were great friends, and Giles was more than just a friend, Giles was a pseudo father figure. Yet even though they were his family, they weren’t pack, his girls where still girls, they were sometimes flaky. They didn’t operate like a pack, they operated like friends who patrolled together and sometimes it wasn’t enough.   
As if to agree with him, Spot was doing her version of a purr in his head, in fact the low comforting growl that echoed in his head had started the moment he’d set eyes on the driver. She was pleased and Xander got the impression it wasn’t just the mystery man she was pleased at, he got the feeling she was pleased at him with his observations and at his need for a pack of his own. 

He shook of the thoughts as the mystery-stud turned to him -and he would be having a long talk with his libido about appropriate people to be attracted to- the guy’s amber eyes locking on his. With the stud, the others turned to watch and not one set but five sets of amber eyes were looking at him. Yet unlike the Blacks, these amber eyes didn’t make him feel threatened. Oh he got the feeling they could kill him in a heartbeat but while there was something other about them, it was something he and his personal peanut gallery liked. 

Their eyes broke contact as Xander hit the top of the stairs, shaking it off he headed towards the schools doors. A mystery was afoot, because he knew they were different, just like the Blacks were. So what was the difference between them? Xander knew research would be needed, unfortunately research would have to wait, he had to sort his classes out. 

After talking with Dr. Cullen in the hospital, and Giles on the phone Xander had decided to take classes he was actually interested. Willow and Buffy weren’t here so he couldn’t take notes off them, and again, Willow wasn’t here to push him into hard classes needed for college that he’d barely understand. Which meant he had to pick his own classes. 

Class schedule clutched in one hand, and a sign-slip in the other, Xander hobbled out of the admin office and towards his first class of the day. Not an advanced math or advanced science in sight. Wood shop, mechanics, chemistry and creative writing where his top electives and since they didn’t have a Latin class, Xander was taking Russian and Spanish. Some of the classes he actually had a chance of learning if Tackleberry kept up his end of the deal and tutored him, the others he was sure he’d be able to learn himself.   
Xander was pleased with his electives as he looked for his locker to dump his coat, now he was inside he was warming up. He dumped his coat and sweater before heading for his first class. 

Xander looked at the teacher as he read the sheet the lady in the office had given him, only taking his eyes off the teacher to sweep them through the room, passing over faces he didn’t know until he spotted a pair of amber eyes. Tall, pretty and blond. She was sat alone at the small bench, looking bored as she waited with the rest of the class. 

“Right, Alexander…” The teacher began, looking at him, Xander shifted his attention back to the teacher. 

“Xander, only my mom and the IRS call me Alexander.” He automatically corrected the teacher. 

“Alright Xander, I’m Mr. Blake. You can sit with Rosalie.” he pointed to the blond girl. 

‘Perfect.’ Xander thought as he hobbled towards the bench she was at, at least he had one name. He wasn’t quite sure why sitting with her was ‘Perfect’, sure she was attractive, then again if he fished subtly enough, he might pick up a few clues as to what she and the others were. 

He dropped on to the stool, stuffing his bag out of the way and propping this crutches next to him. Turning his attention to the teacher, he listened intently to what they would be doing, saving the fishing for answers until later. He remained still as the teacher handed out trays filled with dismantled engine parts, with the orders that they had to reassemble them correctly and then be able to answer what their assembled parts where by the end of the class. 

Xander got to work, thinking on how to start a conversation with this Rosalie as he listened to Tackleberry’s instructions on just what he was trying to put back together. Not quite comfortable with the silence but almost certain inane babble wouldn’t appeal to any one, Xander began to hum Ride of the Valkyries under his breath. 

“You know the Nazis used that tune during air strikes from the Luftwaffe in propaganda films, don’t you?” Rosalie asked him dryly. ‘Ah ha!’ Xander mentally crowed. 

“Was actually thinking about Apocalypse Now, to be honest.” He told her honestly, that and Tackleberry had been talking about the movie last night as he was trying to sleep, probably as some sort of retribution from his nick-name, he’d have to watch the Police Academy film’s again the next time Tackleberry wouldn’t shut up. 

“War film, figures.” Rosalie’s tone reminded him of Cordelia, he looked at her a moment. Yep, he could definitely see Rosalie as Forks’ answer to Queen C.

“You’re the school bitch aren’t you?” He eyed her, not bothered when her head snapped around and she glared at him. After years of mass snark-fests with Cordelia that type of glare just rolled straight off his back. “It’s not a bad thing, being a bitch.” he added.

“You don’t know a thing about me!” She sneered disdainfully at him.

“O.k. then tell me something.” he offered, looking at the slowly forming lump of metal. 

“Your not in my league, little boy.” She chuckled in amusement, eying him darkly. Xander couldn’t help but snort, yep, definitely a case of she was drop dead gorgeous and knew it.

“Hate to tell you Rosie, but your not my type.” Xander smiled at her sweetly. Her eyes flashed dangerously. 

“So your gay then.” She kissed her teeth. “Oh, and my name is not Rosie.” her lip curled in a silent snarl.

Xander blinked at her casual observation, he might be gay he wasn’t positive yet, but really, after the preying mantis, Ampata, and Willow after him he was definitely leaning more towards gay than straight. He felt bad putting Willow as a reason he was attracted to guys, but she was, the thought of Willow and…Kissage in the same sentence made him want to hurl. She was his Will’s, his sister in all but blood. He’d kiss Cordelia before kissing Willow and _that_ was saying something, as much as Cordy was pretty, she really wasn’t his type. Other than being a girl, her personality would have driven him up the wall. Any way, he could hold his own against Queen C and he would hold his own against Queen R too.

“Hate to burst your bubble _Rosie_ , but just because your not my type, doesn’t automatically mean I’m gay.” He told her looking at the metal in his hands critically, shaking his head as he continued to put it back together. 

“You don’t want to get on my bad side!” Rosalie warned, her eyes glittering dangerously.

“So this is your good side, really? I’m genuinely impressed.” he rolled his eyes. 

“I’m not joking.” Rosalie warned, he could see her begin to get frustrated.

“Didn’t think you were.” Xander shrugged, putting carburettor down and getting to work on the left over bits. He could hear her grind her teeth in frustration.

“I don’t like you.” she told him.

“That’s ok.” He shrugged. “I don’t care if you like me.” he told her. 

“Why?” She eyed him, setting her own completed part on to the bench. 

“Because if you like me, then you like me. We’d probably end up as friends with bitching privileges. If you don’t like me, same difference, you’ll bitch, I’ll snark, except we won’t be friends.” He told her. “High school is the same no matter where you are, you have your Queen, who’s pretty, bitchy, and popular even if it’s only because everyone knows who she is. You have your cliques and your groups and your social mingling. Guy’s like me Snark with Queen’s like you, Queen’s like you only notice guy’s like me to bitch about me.” He explained. “I think I’ve talked myself in to a circle here, but I think you get what I mean.” He waved a hand blandly.

“You think I’m a Queen?” Rosalie asked, eyebrows furrowing slightly, Xander looked at her.

“Pretty, check, does everyone know who you are?” He asked, she smirked and nodded. “Check. Bitch? check. Fashionable? check. Yep.” He grinned at her. “I now pronounce you Queen R, Bitch of Forks.” He told her regally. Rosalie blinked a moment before a slow smile crept across her face.

“Your really strange, you know that right?” She asked him, tone amused.

“More than you know.” Xander chuckled. 

“I didn’t catch your name.” She held her hand out.

“Xander Harris.” he shook her head.

“Well, Alex, I’m Rosalie Hale.” She offered, Xander scowled as he shook her hand. Marvelling at her cold hand. He flicked his eyes to the window as he righted himself in his chair, relieved to see the light of day, still over cast and cloudy, but it was light out. 

“Xander, not Alex, Lex or Alexander.” He corrected.

“Suit yourself Al.” She shrugged going back to her part. 

“What ever Rosie.” Xander rolled his eyes. Rosalie just chuckled as they lapsed into silence.

Xander relaxed as he finished the last part, he might not have got any answers, but he may just have found a friend.


	7. Chapter 7

It was a well known fact that a Xander was ruled by his stomach. To come between a Xander and his food was among the worst crimes possible, right along side Murder and world domination. At least that was how Xander saw things, which meant his cast needed to die and to use a Giles-y term, very bloody quickly. 

He pouted a little and rested his chin on his fist as he waited for Bella to bring his food. It wasn’t that he wasn’t grateful to his cousin for helping, it was because he was hungry. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and he looked up, eyes scanning the cafeteria until he located the feeling. He noticed the mysterious stud first as he followed along behind Rosalie and the other three. 

“Spotted the Cullens have you?” Jessica asked quietly. Xander blinked, that explained why they’d looked familiar, the eyes and skin tone.

“Cullens?” Xander frowned as Bella finally got back with his food, he thanked his cousin as she set his tray down in front of him. 

“Dr and Mrs Cullens adopted kids.” Jessica lent over the table a little, her voice quieter. “See the blond two, that’s Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The big guy, that’s Emmet and the little dark haired girl is Alice. It’s really weird, their all like together. Except for the other one, he’s Edward, he isn’t interested in anybody.” Jessica gossiped.

“Together as in a foursome?” Xander eyed her, making a note of the tone she used. It sounded like she was jealous of one or more of them.

“No! But Rosalie’s with Emmet, and Jasper is with Alice.” She told him before sitting back. 

“They probably got together before they where adopted, no big.” Xander shrugged as the Cullens got closer to their table.

They were practically stalking through the cafeteria, blatantly obvious that they weren’t your normal human. He couldn’t help but run his eyes over Edward, at least he had a name for studly-come-jump-me. Xander wanted to bang his head off the table, apparently his libido hadn’t understood the topic of acceptable criteria to like and had upgraded Edward from tasty to fuck-able. Spot wasn’t helping matters any, honestly his own body was attempting mutiny. Either that or his body had the right idea and his brain was slow on the uptake. 

Being that he’d never been one to follow normal rules, especially high school social rules, he brought his index finger thumb to his mouth and gave a piercing wolf whistle as Rosalie passed his table. He made a note of the wince all five of them gave, mentally rubbing hands together. 'My dear Watson, I do believe there is a mystery afoot’ He mentally cackled as the Cullens turned.

“Rosie! I’m hurt, did you forget me already?” He gave Rosalie his best puppy eyes, batting his eyes at her cheekily.

“You don’t quit do you?” Rosalie drawled, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Xander put one hand over his heart and lifted his other solemnly.

“I can honestly say I’ve never quit anything in my life” he promised, he dropped his hands folding them on top of the table. “Been kicked out of and runaway from however is a completely different matter all together.” He grinned at her. She rolled her eyes but couldn‘t help the smile.

“I thought I told you not to call me Rosie, Al.” She eyed him.

“Err, didn’t I tell you?” He asked worriedly, she wasn’t the only one who frowned at him. “I don’t take orders very well.” He told her solemnly. Rosalie rolled her eyes again, her smile getting a little bigger.

“Who’s your friend Rosalie?” The little pixie asked, leaning into Jaspers side. She had a smile on her face, a warm one as she looked at him.

“Harris.” He got to his good leg and held his hand out. “Xander Harris.” He gave his imitation of James Bond. She took his hand with a smile, her hand as cold as Rosalie’s had been, on a whim, he lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles suavely. “And you are?” He asked charmingly as she giggled softly stepping back to Jaspers side, the blond mans arm going around her waist.

“Alice.” Alice answered, peeking at him under his lashes. “You're charming.” She told him with a smile. 

“Not usually, but for pretty girls I always make an exception.” He grinned at her. “Of course if I didn’t my tiny blond friend would kick my ass.” He added. Everyone seemed to look at Rosalie, wondering if it was her he was talking about and if it was how she would handle it.

“I hope your not calling me short Al.” Rosalie peered at him coolly.

“Me call you short?” Xander blinked at her. “Nope, your tall and very nicely put together but you would probably rip me in two and feed me to stray dogs, while Buffy would just kick my ass, she’s a bit squeamish.” Xander informed her. The Cullens all blinked at him, half of them looked about to talk. 

“This is your friend with the sword because she doesn’t like bow’s right?” Bella asked with a frown. 

“That’s the one.” Xander nodded, he turned back to the Cullens and paused at the shrill ringing, almost jumping as his ass began to vibrate.

It took him a moment to remember Charlie had gotten him a phone for emergencies. So far only Charlie, Bella and the Scooby’s had his number. He frowned, pulling it out, checking the caller I.D, he recognised Willows number immediately and put it to his ear as he answered. Why would Willow call in the middle of school? She wouldn’t usually. Unless it was bad. 

“Wills?” He asked with a frown. A loud string of babble hit him in a heart beat, worse than Willow on espresso’s after an all night research party and hyped up an too much sugar, the sinking feeling got worse.

“Wills sweetie, Breath ok, even I can’t keep up with Willow-hyper-babble.” He ordered, leaning to pick up his back pack. Another stream of babble hit him, only this time he could decipher it. Several words jumped out at him. “The what-what of the who? And who is Kendra?” He demanded grabbing his crutches. Xander felt the colour drain from his face as Willow explained.

“Are you ok?” Bella frowned looking at him. Xander frowned.

“One second Wills.” He spoke into the phone, before lowering it, looking at his cousin. “I’ve gotta bounce, I’ll see ya later ok.” He promised, eyes sweeping the table and the watching Cullens. with out another look he hobbled from the room as fast as he could, carrying his crutches as he put the phone back to his ear. “Go on Will.” He offered as he left the cafeteria. 

Xander dropped his bag as he entered the Swan residence, crutches falling to the floor he hopped to the stairs. He knew he had read something on this order before, he moved up the stairs as fast as he could. What he wanted to know was why Spike and Dru would send assassins after him if he was off the Hellmouth now. Hopping to his room, he moved straight to his book shelf, locating the Paladin Codex and yanking it off the shelf. He dropped onto his bed as he flicked open the book. Looking for the section on notable Orders and Covens. He found the section easy enough, searching through until he found the bit he wanted

_The Order of Terakka is a guild of assassins with over two thousand years of history. It is the only guild of it’s kind in the known dimensions, in that the guild has beings from all walks of life, from humans to Gnarled gnomes. While the Order is steeped in secrecy, one crucial thing about them is that they never tire. Once a bounty is taken, the Order will not stop until it is completed._  
The only known way to identify a member of the order is their ring with the Terakkan seal, which all members must wear. The seal is their only common mark of identification. Even though all order members wear the seal, it is still almost impossible to identify a Terakkan assassin.  
Only one being is known to have survived the Terakkan’s, a Pulluchi demon in the early thirteen hundreds, when the bounty was withdrawn. Since Terakkan’s are quick to fulfil a bounty, no one else has lived long enough for a bounty to be withdrawn.   
The most notable kill’s attached to the Order of Terakka cross the known dimensions. For Example President’s Lincoln and Kennedy where both shot by a member of the Order of Terakka… 

Xander swallowed heavily as he slammed the book shut, eyes flicking around the room. He set the book down and lent over the side of his bed, his fingers fumbled for the trunk he knew was there, scratching at air until they hit the cool lacquered wood. He snatched the trunk out, heaving it up onto the bed next to him.   
He fumbled with the latch before throwing the top back, looking at the contents inside. Taking another look around the room he got to his feet, reaching into the dark wooden box to pluck out his second favourite weapon after the longbow. 

He gripped the hard handle of the large battle-axe, lifting it out easily. He ran his eyes over the deadly, live edge of the blade, testing it with the pad of his thumb. Nodding, he grabbed the leather sheath, setting the battle-axe on the bed-spread to wrestle the shoulder rig on.   
He adjusted the buckles on it before picking up his axe, settling the heavy weight into it’s home. 

With an assassin on his ass, he wasn’t going to take any chances, especially since Terakkan’s came in all shapes and sizes. There was no room for error if he wanted to live long enough for Giles to work his magic. And the idea of waiting on Angel to call off the bounty as head of his line didn’t quite sit right with Xander. With that in mind he began pulling blades from the trunk, a wooden one, one made of blessed silver, and the final general purpose blade, a steel blade with veins of iron, bronze, and gold. It made a flimsy blade usually, but it was good to have just in case. If wood or blessed silver didn’t take care of it, one of the four elements in the blade would. The knives he strapped in easy to reach places, but places he could hide them. 

The last thing to get unpacked was his Longbow, still folded it went into a small shoulder case with a quiver fill of carbon shaft arrows with an assortment of tips and the all important survival kit. If anything, the patrolling on the Hellmouth had taught the Scooby gang the importance of being prepared. It was funny how something as little as a pen-knife or a bottle of water could help in the surreal situations they had found themselves in. 

Xander was no pro by any count, he was lucky to survive as long as he had with no formal training and only minimal on the job training but even so, he’d learned tricks that would help keep him alive a little longer and he’d learned them hard. 

He didn’t have a plan as he left his room, but he knew that if the assassins where in Sunnydale, they would be in Forks too. He picked up his school bag and crutches from where he’d dropped them, moving to stuff them inside the hall closet. With one last check of the home, he locked up and left heading for the dense woods that surrounded Forks. 

 

There was still no plan hours later as Xander hiked up the steep incline. Pausing every so often to rest against a tree. Giles had promised him it wouldn’t take Angel more than a few days to recall the bounty, he hoped so. He felt bad about just up and leaving like he had. After calling Giles while he cleaned up the weapons trunk, he’d left. He hadn’t written a note or anything, hoping that if any thing went to the house, they’d get the idea he’d heard and spooked. He was hoping that they’d leave Charlie and Bella alone, since he’d left no indication he was going to be back he was hoping the assassin would follow him rather than wait.   
Hoping was never a plan to put faith on when dealing with situations of a hellmouth nature, but it was all he had at the moment, that and the general idea to wait it out and not get found. 

 

Finding a small clearing, Xander decided to stop for a while. His leg was beginning to hurt again, more than the dull ache it had reduced to over the last week or so and since he’d skipped lunch he was ravenous. After walking for several hours, he figured he could take a small break to eat something. The clearing was as good a rest stop as he was going to get. 

Sliding off his shoulder bag, he sat on stump of an old tree, coated in a thick padding of deep green moss. He dug through the bag for the space bars Willow had ordered when they’d put the survival kits together. They weren’t much and they tasted like cardboard but they’d slake his hunger for a while. Taking a bite, Xander vowed he’d treat himself to a burger or something when the assassins where dealt with. 

 

A sudden something dropping onto his head made him flinch, jerking and bringing a hand up to run a hand through his hair. The large black beetle that fell to the floor made him shudder. 

_“Eww!”_ He shuddered violently, before smashing the heal of his boot into the creature, shuddering again as the crunch reached his ears. “Gross.” He muttered, taking a vicious bite from his space bar. 

He couldn’t help it, the thought of bugs crawling on him made his skin crawl. He hated the idea of bugs crawling on his skin as bad as Spot hated the memory of flies and mosquitoes buzzing around her muzzle and Tackelberry loathed having sand in his fatigues.   
Paranoid about bugs, his eyes began sweeping the area around him, carefully watching for any that were attempting to sneak up and crawl on him. His hand rummaged in the bag for his bottle of water, pulling out a bottle, he paused to check it wasn’t his supply of holy water before taking a long drink. Banishing the dry mouth the space bar had given him.

He lowered his sports bottle, eyes sweeping the clearing again. His heart lurched as they halted on dark brow. Swallowing thickly, his took in the abnormally large canine stood watching him silently. Xander could only prey this was a normal wolf. He knew there were several species of beings able to assume animal form and since he was being hunted by assassins, he could only prey this wasn’t a Terakkan sent to kill him. 

The soft snap of a twig made him flinch, his eyes scanned the clearing again before dropping back to the wolf. Frowning when he noticed he no longer had its attention. The hair on the back of his neck began to lift as the wolf’s low dangerous growl hit his ears. So when Tackelberry told him to hit the deck, Xander didn’t ask why, he launched himself off the tree stump, spinning on his casted foot while grabbing for his axe. 

Some sort of black ooze hit the stump a second after he’d left, splashing heavily. His eyes were drawn up the only place he hadn’t looked. He didn’t take his eyes off _it_ as the wolf let out a long baying howl. A summons Spot dimly told him, all their attention on the _thing_ hanging from the canopy.

It was at least seven feet in length, a dozen or so long spindly legs that were holding it up as it held its self wedged between two tree trunks, a huge circular head with way to many eyes and thick mandibles protruding from a mouth filled with way to many very large, very sharp needle like teeth. 

It’s head bobbed as it began to click at him and Xander could smell what ever the thing had oozed at him, a thick and acrid stench, the fizzing, bubbling noise a dim notation in the back of his mind. His battle-axe felt woefully inadequate against the sheer size of the thing. 

Slowly, the thing began to lower it’s self, crawling down between the two trees, something shiny and silver glinting in the diminishing light as it moved. A ring Xander dimly realised, his heart pounding so hard in his chest he was certain it was trying to hammer it’s way out and escape.

‘Yep, body’s practicing mutiny’ He thought hysterically. ‘Why do I get the giant fuckin’ bug and Buffy gets a psycho biker?’ That was the one thing he really wanted to know. 

The bug suddenly reared it’s head back, it’s neck elongating like a rubber band pulled taught before snapping forwards like a viper. Xander reacted, launching himself to the side, hitting the ground hard with his right shoulder, more acrid black ooze spewing into the space he’d just been occupying. The acrid mass of nasty hit a tree, beginning to hiss and fizzle. 

Taking his eyes of the thing only a split second as he got to his feet, he saw the stump he’d originally been sat on was now nothing more than a bubbling mass eating it’s way into the earth. 

 

_“Oh fuck me!”_ he whispered harshly. He was gonna die by acid puke, he just knew it.


	8. Chapter 8

Being born and raised on the Hellmouth, and later taking up arms against the creatures and beings that plagued the gateway to hell, Xander had always known he was going to have a short life span. He knew he wouldn’t have the luxury of dying peacefully in his bed when he was old with great grand-children. He’d known he’d probably end his short life as a meal or some un-noted kill but he’d never imagined he’d meet his end by puke. It just seemed wrong to Xander. Who wanted to die by puke? He certainly didn’t, that was for sure. But unfortunately it seemed fate was against him, because the creature was looming for another regurgitated strike. 

He had nowhere to go, backed against a large rock with the huge hairy form blocking off all escape. Yep, fate was indeed a fickle bitch and she hated him with a vengeance. He was going to die, by puke. Some how it felt…perverse. His eyes where on the thing as it’s head pulled back on its elasticised neck, in a second he’d be melting painfully, still he couldn’t tear his eyes from it. It was close enough he could hear the bodily fluids slosh around in it’s insides. 

Rising, ready to end his woefully short hard life. It’s head began to snap forward. Almost in slow motion as it’s rancid maw opened wide, needle like teeth coated in the black crud that was going to end him. His heart skipped as he said good bye to his friends and apologised to his uncle and cousin. Felt regret he was still not quite comfortable with the prospect he might be gay, or at the very least Bi. 

Xander blinked in shock, frowning as the creature was ripped to the side. His brain stalled. He was supposed to be dead now right? 

A black blur slammed into the creature with a snarl. Then another and another. Wolves. A pack of wolves were launching themselves at the bug thing, snarling and biting. Holy hell he had a chance after all!

His brain came online all at once and he wasn’t wasting the chance. He scrambled for his satchel, the handle of his axe still where he’d dropped it as the blade melted. He’d mourn his beloved battle-axes loss later. 

He ripped his bow from the bag it had lain in, snapping it open as the wolves and creature rolled around the floor. Wolves were being thrown off to hit trees hard enough the trees shook but they just got back up and rejoined the fray. Stumbling back a little as he wrestled out his quiver of arrows, he held the open tube between his knees as he lifted the bow, drawing an arrow. 

His racing heart slowed as he knocked an arrow, not caring to check the tip, his left eye squeezed shut as he took a bead on the creature, pulling the arrow back. He lined the arrow up, holding his breath as he waited for the shot, his ribs and chest only giving minor protests of pain, tracking the snarling forms rolling around. The second he had a clear shot, he didn’t hesitate. He released the arrow, hand immediately drawing a second one as the carbon shaft whistled through the air, the precision projectile spinning like a drill. The arrow sank home with enough spin and force it drilled its self into the things jaw. 

A gurgled high pitched caterwaul pierced the air as the creature tumbled back, the wolves startled enough to leap clear. He knocked the second arrow and pulled back, waiting for the creature to stop its back peddling. The second the bug hit the tree, he released the second arrow, wincing as the arrow skewered it through the neck, pinning it to the tree as the huge mass of wood shuddered, roots being ripped from their home under the sheer weight and force applied by the mammoth bug, spindly legs jerking and flailing.

He drew another arrow, dimly noting the wolves backing away from the thrashing bug. He calmly checked his aim, biting his lip. It was true his aim definitely needed some practice but he could do it. Lining up the tip of the arrow, he sent up a small prayer and let the arrow loose on the thrashing demon-bug.   
The arrow hit true, piercing the things head, sending the creature into convulsions. The tree it was pinned to finally gave in to the weight and force, toppling backwards to hit the floor with a deafening boom.

Lowering his bow, he kept his eyes on the twitching bug. Taking a few deep calming breaths. He’d done it, he was alive. He slowly hobbled forwards. Watching the twitching limbs. He wasn’t positive the thing was dead yet. The sudden warning growl as he got to close to a twitching hairy leg reminded him he’d had help.   
Xander turned to the panting wolves watching him, eight of them standing around. They definitely weren’t normal wolves that was for sure. A bit too big, and definitely too smart. 

 

“Uh, thanks for the save, whoever you are, but I gotta make sure it’s dead.” He told them, side stepping to pick up forgotten bag. 

He searched through the contents as the wolves cocked their heads in shock. He left the bow on the ground with the arrows beside it once he’d located the small wood-axe. It wasn’t particularly good in a fight, but for what he needed it for, it was perfect. 

He hobbled to the fallen bug, watching as it’s limbs continued to twitch spastically, he moved around to where the gushing neck was still pinned to the tree. The large gaudy rings was hung on some sort of chord. A thick black chord that was held together with a large knot the size of his fist. 

Using the sharp blade of the small wood axe, he cut the chord, pocketing the lumpy ring. 

“You just had to be a bug demon.” He scowled, hefting the axe up. “I HATE bug demons!” He brought the axe down of the demons elasticised neck, ducking the spurt of puss coloured blood. He ripped the axe out and brought it down again, nose wrinkling at the smell. 

“Demons?” 

Xander span, axe raised at the new comer, blinking when he saw a naked Native American in the middle of the wolves. Well that answered the question of what the Black’s where. 

“Your shifters aren’t you?” Xander eyed them, lowering the axe. 

If they wanted him dead, they could have let the bug kill him, but they hadn’t. They might give him the Wiggins, as the man was now he was back in human form, but he wasn’t going to say they where bad off the bat. Like Giles had said, not every supernatural being was evil.

“I’m Luca, of the Quileute tribe.“ The man nodded, he looked to be in his early twenties but Xander knew he could be older, a lot older.

“Cool, I’d been wondering what you where.” He nodded turning back to the bug, he continued to hack through his neck. “And yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s a demon, if not it will be some mystically mutated bug thing from somewhere.” Xander nodded. “Or even some dimensions answer to a cockroach.” He finished, grabbing onto the bugs head as he severed the last bit of bone, muscle and skin. He tossed the head away from the rest of the body as it’s limbs finally stopped twitching. 

“What are you?” Luca asked as the other wolves shifted, seamlessly transitioning from wolf to human. Some were slower than others, but the end result was the same, eight people stood in front of him. 

“Me?” Xander frowned, looking at them as he moved to begin hacking at the legs, ignoring the nakedness. 

The bug hadn’t dissolved, so he got the pleasure of having to clean it up. Oh Joy. What bothered him was the fact they thought he was different. It was something that had been worrying him more and more everyday. His spirits where getting stronger, more there, and something was happening to his body. He didn’t know what was happening to him, and that scared him, he didn’t want to become the same sort of thing he hunted.

“You feel…strange.” Another answered. “When it was noticed, we where sent to watch you.” he added.

“I’m not looking to hurt anyone, I’m one of the guys who stops the bad things from hurting others.” Xander told them, pulling a face at the hairy limb he was hacking through. “I don’t know why I feel strange to you guys. I think it might be Spot and Tackelberry, but I’m not positive.” he added softly. 

“Spot? Tackelberry?” Luca blinked, the shifters all looking at him with various degrees of confusion. 

“A primal hyena spirit, and a dead special ops soldier that died in a fire fight.” Xander shrugged as the limb fell to the floor. He looked at the bulky weight. “Don’t suppose you guys can lend a hand.” He motioned to the spindly limb. After a pause, one of the shifters moved forward, easily picking up the leg and carrying it to the head. “Any way, I’ve been possessed a couple of times, and either since I got here, since I left the hellmouth or since I got my head bashed in, they’ve been getting stronger.” he informed them. It felt good to get his theories out in the open, he’d have to call Giles and see what the older man thought, and if it was bad, they might be able to find a way to stop it. 

“Maybe the elders will know, they could help.” One of them offered, watching him as Xander continued to carve the demon-bug up. 

“Well, ya see, there’s a problem with that.” Xander sighed, he hacked through another limb, wincing as his arm began to ache. He was seriously out of shape for this sort of thing he decided. He paused and turned to them, rubbing his shoulder. “This guy’s actually an assassin sent to kill me.” He told them bluntly. They all paused a moment, looking at him.

“You have assassins after you?” Luca asked in shock. 

“Yep.” He nodded. “A couple of really nasty guy’s came to town and we’ve been ruining their plans of death, destruction and all around mayhem. So according to Angel, who took out the assassin after Buffy after a Q and A session, the very loony Dru decided to put out a bounty on all of us with the Order of Terakka, and the Order just happens to be ruthless and relentless.” Xander explained, he frowned as a couple of the shifters moved to the corpse and began easily ripping it apart, throwing the parts onto the growing pile until that’s all that was left. A pile of bloody limbs. He hobbled to his abandoned bag, putting his bow and the quiver of arrows away before pulling out a small canister of lighter fluid and a box of matches. 

“So there may be more of them?” Luca asked with a frown.

“More assassins, probably, more bug assassins, I don’t know.” Xander shouldered his bag and moved to the pile of limbs. He emptied the whole can of accelerant over the corpse and lit a match, igniting the pile. He listened as Luca sent one of the wolves off back to the elders, watching the dead bug burn a moment. He wasn’t sure he’d survive another assassin

**Author's Note:**

> This is a re-post of a story I posted to both TTH an FF.Net. I'm working on maybe hopefully getting it finished, which considering I strongly dislike Twilight is rather a pain. I'll be re-vamping, editing and tweaking this as I go. So hopefully, work willing, the first twenty or so chapters will be up quick if you've never read this before. In theory, this will motivate me to get this butt-pain of a story finished.  
> Feedback is always appreciated but if your a Twilight fan, don't expect this to follow the books or the movies. This story is to be considered extremely AU for Twilight. Hope you enjoy.  
> BigRed.


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